Sony unveiled their first flagship of the Xperia X range – the Xperia XZ – as well as their premium “smaller” handset – the Xperia X Compact- at IFA Berlin in September 2016.

Both cellphones are now available in South Africa via MTN, Vodacom or Takealot.

MTN is offering a bundle deal which consists of a Sony Xperia XZ and a Sony Smartwatch 3.

Should you buy the phone on Takealot, you’ll receive a free Xperia XA Ultra with your Xperia XZ.

The Xperia XZ

The Xperia XZ is the embodiment of minimalism. With the front of the device dominated by the 5.2-inch LCD display and a 13MP front-facing camera. The only physical buttons on the device are found on the sides. These include the power button with built-in fingerprint scanner.

The back of the device has the 23MP camera lens and the LED flash.

Yes, there is the expected Sony and Xperia branding but, other than that, the handset has an incredibly clean design, devoid of unnecessary clutter. At first, it might seem a bit on the stark side. But, at a time when everyone seems to be including everything but the kitchen sink in their phones, this design is refreshing in its simplicity.

The camera is the main feature of the XZ. Sony has added two additional sensors to the existing sensor to create the company’s triple image sensing technology.

The technology is comprised of Sony’s original Exmor RS for mobile image sensor. This provides a powerful blend of high-quality image and autofocus (AF) speed combined with Predictive Hybrid AF to intelligently predict and track subjects in motion for blur-free results. Added to this is the Laser AF sensor with distance sensing technology. This sensor captures blur-free photos in low-light conditions.

The Xperia X Compact

The Sony Xperia X Compact is essentially a smaller version of the Xperia XZ.

It has a 4.6-inch screen and what Sony calls their loop surface design.